Electrically-heated radiator.



'.l. D. McDONAlD.

ELECTRICALLY HEATD RYADMTOR. Arrucmon mzuml. s. m3. www nov. 23. me.

Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIcE.

JOHN D. HODONALD, OF SUDB'UBY, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO MODONALD HYDRO- ELECTBO HEATING COMPANY LIMITED.

ELECTBICALLY-HEATED RADIATOR.

Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

Application led January 8, 1913, Serial No. 741,132. Renewed November 23, 1916. Serial No. 183,065. f

vTo all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN D. MGDONALD, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Sudbury, district of Sudbury, Province of Ontario, Canada, (and whose posteoliice address is Post-Onice BOX 64, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada,) have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electrically-v Heated Radiators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide a portable electrically heated radiator of simple construction, whereby a minimum amount of' current is consumed for the amount of heat or radiation required under a low temperature, and wherein the heating element of the electric heater will not show any heat-glow or color under varying temperatures, and may be controlled to vary its heating effect.

The invention consists of a radiator comprising a series 'of independent thin sheet metal sections suitably connected and adapted to removably receive the heating unit and to produce the most effective action of the heating unit upon the water contained in the radiator, all substantially as I will proceed now more particularly to explain and finally claim.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure l is a sectional view projected ona plane indicated by line l-l, Fig. 3, and passing longitudinally through the center or" the radiator. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a modified form of one of the sections of a specially-designed radiator providing an increasing water capacity toward the top of the radiator. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the radiator with a modified form of base and showing the spacer in dotted lines. Fig. et is an end elevation, on a larger scale, of the set nut for securing the expansion tank in the radiator sections. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section, on a larger scale, of the eX- pansion tube detached. Fig. 6 is an end elevation, on a larger scale, of the heating unit, and Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section, on a larger scale, of the heating unit.

The radiator comprises any suitable number of independentthin, fiat, straight water sections K, each constructed of a pair of thin sheet metal plates with an interposed spacer T, arranged longitudinally and cen trally of the plates, said spacers consisting of narrow strips of metal, and riveted or lspacers and open water spaces above and below the spacers. The water sections K are mounted in any suitable manner on a base or support a which is preferably provided with ball casters I), Fig. l, or on a base a with roller casters b, Fig. 3, to permit easy removal of the radiator from one room to another, or from place to place, or its temporary shifting for sweeping and cleaning purposes.

The upper edges of the radiator sections K are inclined inwardly from opposite .sides toward the center,r as shown in Fig. 3, to reduce the space in the upper ends of the sections above the normal water level therein for a purpose presently appearing.

Arranged in suitable openings in the upper ends of the sections K and serving to connect and hold the sections in place is an expansion tube F (see Fig. 5) having water ports N communicating with the water chambers in the sections K. The expansion tube F is securely fixed in said water sections by means of a cap O fitted in one end of said tube and a set nut B engaging the other end thereof. Fitted in the cap O is an automatic relief valve G of usual construction, communicating with the expansion tube F. Arranged in suitable openings in the lower ends of the radiator sections 'K is .a tube A forming a casing for the heating unit to be described, the lower ends of the radiator sections forming a water chamber surrounding the tube A. The tube A is securely held in place by means of aA cap Q fixed to one end of the tube and a set nut D iitted upon the other end of the tube.

C is `an open lid or flanged collar also screwed upon the tube A adjacent to the set nut D and serving to hold the heating-nut, preferably an electric heater, in place and to receive a connecting plug to be referred to.

The preferred form of heater comprises a frame or cylinder R, of porcelain or other non-conducting material, having the spaced annular insulating shoulders H for supportf ing the frame or cylinder within the tube A, and provided with numerous perforations or air' passages L which communicate with a circular chamber or air passage U, ,bored longitudinally through the center of the frame or cylinder R. IThe chamber or passage U may have a lining c of copper or any other suitable metal, (as shown in Fig. 7), it desired, and the lining provided with perforations (l to register with the lateral air passages L in the frame or cylinder R. Connecting conducting rods V are arranged in suitable slots, grooves, or openings E .in the frame or cylinder R with their ends eX- posed at suitable openings in the end of the cylinder, and are adapted to be connected to the heating wire J coiled around the frame or cylinder R. Any number of connecting conducting rods V may be applied to the frame R, in accordance with the desired variation in the heating edect ofthe coil, but as herein shown, three of such rods are provided, whereby the heating edect of the coil may be varied to obtain a high, medium or low temperature or heating ed'ect of the heating unit or coil.

Asshown in Fig. 7, one of the rods V eX- tends the entirelength of the frame R, an-

other extends about tothe center or middle,

of said frame, and the third rod extends only a short distance from the end of the frame, and said rods are connected with the coil J at the points X, Y, Z, so as to produce three independent circuits, one of said circuits including one half of the coil, another of said circuits including the entire coil, and the other circuit including the other halt of the coil.

A plug P having three contacts adapted to enter the openings in the end of the frame or cylinder R and engage the ends of conducting rods V, is connected with a suitable source of current supply, by means of an ordinary three-wire exible conductor c having its individual wires at one end connected with the contacts of said plug, the other ends or terminals ot said wires being connected with three contact points ot an ordinary three point switch and said switch in turn connected with the source oi supply g in such manner as to be capable of turning the current entirely oft', or to direct the current through the entire coil J to produce a low temperature or heating effect; or to direct the current thro-ugh one-half ot' the coil J only to produce a medium teinperature or heating edect; or to divide the current and direct the full force thereof to each section or half of the coil d to produce the two halves of the coil, the heating effect is twice that of medium and four times that of low. By thus regulating thesupply of current to the various portions ofl the heating coil, it is possible to properly and economically control the consumption of electrical energy according to the temperature of the outside Iopen air vor Weather conditions. The three point switch may be provided with suitable Words or other characters to indicate the oi"1 low medium and high positions of the switch.

As shown in Fig. 3, the radiator sections have parallel edges, and as shown in Fig. 2, the sides of the sections may taper longitudinally; that is to say, the sides of the sections may be inclined inwardly from top to bottom, so as to provide greater Water capacity at the top than at the bottom, thus maintaining a greater volume of Water at the top where it reaches its highest temperature, and the least volume of water at the bottom where it surrounds the heating element and becomes heated more quickly thus causing a more rapid circulation, and consequently reducing to a minimum the condensation due to radiating surface at the point far thest from the heating zone.

The operation is as follows z-The necessary current i'or the required radiation is transmitted from the source of supply through the switch and plug P to thecurrent conducting rods V and from rods V to heating'coil J. The coil J surrounding the frame or cylinder R transmits its heat units to the tube A, and at the same time transmits a large portion of said heat units to the trame or cylinder R, which gives of these heat units through the chamber or passage U and air ports L to the tube A. The tube A in turn transmits said heat units to the water in the water sections K, the latter radiating the heat into the air space to be heated. The water in the sections K, as it becomes heated, expands into the eX pansion tube F, the air in the upper part of the radiator being forced out by such expansicn through the automatic valve G, By inclining or lieveling the upper ends of the radiator sections K, as herein described and as shown in Fig. 3, the air space surrounding the expansion tube F is reduced considerably and this reduces the quantity of air contained in the upper portion of the radiator to a minimum suiiicient for the expansion of the water, and hence provides for the quick exhaustion of the cold air containedv in the radiator and the consequent rapid heating of the radiator sections.

By the construction herein shown and described, the heating element may be removed from the radiator for renewal and repairs, and replaced without the removal of the tubes. The radiator sections are light and durable and hence the radiator as a whole Corrections lLetters'Patet'No. 1.21 1,606.

-may be readily and easily moved from place to place; and furthermore, constructing the radiator of very thin sections permits the use of a minimum quantity of water to be heated, thus not only economizing heat but shortening the time necessary to start heat radiation, and provides a maximum radiating surface.

What I claim is l. A radiator, comprising a series of independent thin, flat radiator sections, each constructed of a pair of thin ilatsheet metal plates united at their edges and an independent narrow strip of metal centrally and longitudinally and vertically arranged between and terminating short of the upper and lower ends of said plates and riveted to the plates, said sections adapted to be partially filled with water, a heating unit applied to said radiator for heating the water therein, an expansion tube connecting the upper ends of said sections and communieating with the spaces therein above the water level, and an automatic valve for exhausting the air from said sections through said expansion tube.

2. A radiator, comprising afseries of thin, flat independent sections, each constructed of a pair of thin flat sheet metal plates united at their edges, and an inde endent narrow strip of metal centrally an longitudinally and vertically arran ed between ,v said plates and terminating s ort of the upper and lower ends vof the plates and riv. l eted to the plates, and means for connecting said sections.

' [SEAL] sections,` including a tube passing through the lowerends of said sections and adapted to receive an electric heating unit for heating the water in said sections, an expansion tube passing through the `upper ends of said sections and communicating with the spaces above the water level therein, and an automatic valve fitted in said expansion tube, whereby the air is confined in the spaces at the upper ends of said sections and automatically exhausted therefrom as the water is heated by said. heating unit.

4. A. radiator, comprislng a series of thin, flat strai ht sections, each constructedof a pair of p ates, united at their edges, andan interposed spacer riveted together, the sides of each section inclined from end to end to provide greater water capacity at one end of the sections than at the other.

5. A radiator comprising a series of thin, flat, straight sections, each constructed of a. pair of plates, united aty their ed es, and an interposed spacer] riveted toget er, the sides of each section inclined inwardly from top to bottom, to thereby provide greater water capacity at the top of said sections than at the bottom thereof.

JOHN D. McDONALD.

Witnesses:

WINNIE -W. L. TURNER, Cms. H. TURNER.'

It is hereby certived niacin Letters Patent. No. 1,211,606, V Agranted January 9, 1.917, upon the application of JohnpDgMcDor-iald, of Sudbury;OntariofCanada, for an improvement in Electrically-Heatedv Radiators, errors appear in the printed ospecification requiring correction aas follows: In the grant the assignee was errone- Ously described. and specied as McDonald Hydro-Electric Heating Company. Limitedf whereas said assignee should have been described and specified as' McDonald Hydro-lllectroA Heating 'Company Limited; page 1- of the printed specification, liner 101, for the wordfnut', second` occurrence, read unit; Vand that the said Letters Patent should be read with qthese corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oiice. A Y

Signed and sealed this 30th day of January, A. D., 1917.

F. H. CLAY, Acting Commissioaer of Patents. 

